This catalogue contains all of the tunes I have written in the English and American social dance style. They are free to download. If you use any of these tunes please make a donation as it helps to buy Violin strings and manuscript paper. Please ensure that my name stays attached to each melody. Otherwise - enjoy! Thank you.

To SEARCH this catalogue simply press Ctrl+F on your keyboard and type your search words into the box which appears on your screen.

Click on the column title to sort the table.Updated: 26th February 2018.

CODE

DATE

TITLE

STYLE

Bars

Download and Extra Information

243

2017

Waltzing in France

Waltz

32

Download: - Our good friends Diana Hultgren and Kent Gilbert were married in Berea, Kentucky in September 2017. This chose to spend the sencond week of their honeymoon with us at La Richardière, in France. I composed this wedding waltz in celebration of their marriage and their visit to France. Listen:

242

2017

The Brexit Jig

Jig

32

Download:Well somebody had to to do it! This is just for fun and not a serious composition. It is topical and reflects my opinion and thoughts about the Brexit decision.

241

2017

Good Morning

March

32

Download: This is a simple flowing tune in the English style which I feel is a good candidate for a new English Dance.MIDI version

240

2017

"I Don't Know Band" Rag

Rag

32

Download: Having moved to France and I am pleased to turn out with the "I Don't Know Band" as a guest musician. They have kindly allowed me to paly some instrumental numbers, so this was a new offering for them.

Download: The first of two experimental tunes for fiddle. This march needs a strong driving rhythm with persussive backing. Harmonic backing is probably not necessary.

237

2016

Aya's Celebration

Jig

32

Download: Written for our lovely new GrandDaughter, Aya's Christening in August 2016. Click here to listen to my recording. (4 x 32 bars)

236

2016

O'Shaughnessey's Reel

Reel

32

Download: Written for our good friend Martin O'Shaughnessy on the occasion of his 60th birthday. Listen to me play the reel. It is recorded 5x32 bars and the 4th time is a solo section for "spoons" which Martin played at his birthday party!

235

2016

Bugles in the Basket

Hornpipe

32

Download: A good swingy hornpipe (almost) style tune. Bugles are a French snack to accompany early evening apperos/drinks.

234

2015

Mélodie pour Enzo

Waltz

32

Download: Written for our newest neighbour, Enzo who was born in November 2015. A simple A music, but enjoy the twists and turns of the B music.

233

2015

Swashbuckler's Waltz

Waltz

32

Download: Written for Mike and Gill Swash on the occasion of their final weekend as organisers of the Symonds Yat House Party and to celebrate the many happy and creative dance weekends they have organised over the years. Click here to listen to the tune played 4 times through.

232

2015

Dave Brown's Compliments to SIANSA

Jig

32

Download: I had the pleasure of playing with and meeting the Irish band SIANSA in July 2015. This Jig is my thank you to them for letting me join the band, albeit temporarily.

231

2015

Mr Haydn's Holiday Jig

Jig

32

Download: I took part in the Haydn Festival in La Roche Posay in September 2015. It was, apparently, Joseph Haydn's holiday. We played Beethoven?

230

2015

The Little Pressigny Waltz

Waltz

32

Download: Having moved to France in 2015 this Waltz is named after our nearest village, Le Petit Pressigny.

229

2015

Arthur's Lullaby

Waltz

32

Download: This Waltz was written to celebrate the birth of my Grandson Arthur - 21/2/2015. Click here to listen to the tune.

228

2015

Mouton Rouge

Waltz

32

Download: This waltz was written to celebrate the Chinese year of the Sheep/Goat.

227

2014

Dream Bug Reel

Reel

32

Download: This reel was written to accompany a great new tune we discovered. It had to be driving and slightly bluesy.

226

2014

My Birthday Waltz

Waltz

32

Download: In March 2014 I was 60 years old. I wrote this tune to celebrate my birthday.

225

2014

My Birthday Jig

Jig

32

Download: I wrote this tune shortly before my 60th birthday in March 2014

Download: A simple Jig written in France in 2011. Avallon is a small village in central France.

198

2011

Ugine

Jig

32

Download: Another simple Jig, also written in France in 2011. Ugine is a small town near Annecy.

197

2011

Ni Wa Wa Polka

Polka

32

Awaiting Download Link: Ni Wa Wa is a Chinese children's song about a Mud Doll". This simple tune grew from that song.

196

2012

What's That Tune?

Jig

32

Download: As I improvised this idea someone asked me, "What's that tune?"

195

2011

The Old Post Office reunion

Ragtime

32

Download: I met some old friends in a lovely Bistro in Wales which was once an old Post Office. MIDI

194

2007

Theo-Odessy

Reel

32

Download: Written for Theo Dunphy who is the son of Kathryn (of Skylark) and James Dunphy..

193

2011

Dave Brown's Compliments to Levi Broadbridge

Reel

32

Download: This tune was written for Levi Broadbridge born to Aidan and Annette Broadridge. A 32 bar reel suitable for Contra Dance, but with a mixed Scots/American flavour as appropriate for Levi's parents. Simone Verheyen wrote a great and flowing 4 couple becket formation dance called LEVITATION to be accompanied by this tune.
Click here to listen to an MP3 of this tune.

Download: - A darker, driving and menacing tune. Little bit of an Eastern musical feel in the B section.

183

2008

MINistry of Fun.

Reel

32

Awaiting download link

182

2009

There's a Bear Coming!

Reel

32

Download: - At the same barbeque, our daughter who was 2 years old, came running towards us shouting "There's a bear coming!". As we don't have native bears in the British Isles I can only guess what she was imagining. It caused us some amusement.

181

2009

Fixin' Up the Barbecue

Reel

32

Download: - composed while waiting for the Barbeque to light on a very pleasant day in Wales.

180

2010

American Quizine

Reel

32

Awaiting download link

179

2010

A New Tune

32

Awaiting download link

178

2010

Duplicity

Jig

32

Download: A commission from Mark Elvins was readily accepted and this fairly modern sounding Jig evolved.

Download:: A tune written on my mandolin and named after my daughter's small fluffy dog - Smudge. I was delighted that the tune was recorded by the Halsway Manor Millennium Players on their CD "10 years on". Smudge the dog is the second tune - the first tune is by George Paul called Pokey's Reel. Download CD Track

Download: This tune was written for Chris Turner's ??th birthday. John Meechan wrote a dance - download. I mis-read the name of the dance Polychromic Gentleman (referring to Chris' penchant for colourful clothes) and titled my tune the Polychromatic Gentleman - more musical in meaning. MIDI

163

2007

Chris Turner's Other Jig

Jig

32

Download: - Whilst preparing a tune for Chris Turner's birthday dance (See tune and dance 164) I actually came up with two tunes. This is the other one!

Download:Written to remember the time I lived in Woollas Hall in Eckington, Worcestershire. A lovely Jacobean Manor House set on the slopes of Bredon Hill. Download MP3 file of Dave playing "Home on the Hill and Patience".

Download: Bob England was an Australian teaching colleague with whom I shared many skiing holidays before he sadly passed away in 1994.

125

1994

Protherough's Jig

Jig

32

Download: Dave Protherough was a Gloucestershire Rugby player and a good supporter of the school in which I taught.

124

1994

Jig for Catherine

Jig

32

Download: I spent a small amount of time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Catherine Chope was an elderly neighbour to the house in which I stayed. As I had time on my hands, I undertook a few small tasks to help her out. One day she asked if I'd like a drink and produced a bottle of Whisky which she had saved from her wedding 50 years before. She opened it!

123

1994

Mona Lisa

Hornpipe

32

Download: - I saw THE "Mona Lisa" for the first time in 1994. I was very disappointed. Now, I live just South of Amboise, Central France, where the retirement home of Leonardo Da Vinci, Clos Lucé is situated next to the Chateau. I am in no way disappointed with that. It's well worth a visit.

122

1994

15 Dollar Coke

Reel

32

Download: - Whilst visiting Paris with an American friend we ordered large cokes as it was very hot. To our surprise they simply added together the cost of 3 smaller cokes" 15 Dollars for 500ml was a bit too much I think. Tourists beware - check the price first.

121

1994

Heatherington's Hornpipe

Hornpipe

32

Download: - Having spent some time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I used to visit an Irish Bar called Heatherinton's. I wrote this tune after an afternoon's session at the bar.

120

1993

Heidi's Waltz

Waltz

32

Download:- Written in June 1993 for Heidi Chapman - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

119

1993

Laura's Swing

Jig

32

Download: - Written at the Eastbourne festival. Brian Jones (caller) was teaching a class for beginner's country dance and wanted to demonstrate a swing with his daughter Laura. I was "put on the spot" and, as I couldn't immediately think of a suitable jig to play, I improvised something like this tune which I worte down later that morning!

118

1992

Miss Kirsty Rose

March

32

Download:A great tune for Kirsty my niece, which I revised in 2005 when I recorded it on my CD Connections.

Download:Spent a lot of time in the 1980s playing patter tunes for Square dances. (Quite boring to play actually, so we wrote a few ideas).

112

1986

Fall-Out Jig

Jig

32

Download:Wrote this follow the nuclear desaster in Chernobyl. It's a tortuous and challenging Jig, but quite fun.

111

1986

Bridge of Athlone

Jig

32

Download:We were always being asked by callers to play for the Bridge of Athlone at Barn Dances. I could never find a traditional tune for this dance and so I wrote one!

110

1986

Patter 3

Reel

32

Download: - Spent a lot of time in the 1980s playing patter tunes for Square dances. (Quite boring to play actually, so we wrote a few ideas).

109

1986

Patter 2

Reel

32

Download: - Spent a lot of time in the 1980s playing patter tunes for Square dances. (Quite boring to play actually, so we wrote a few ideas).

108

1986

Patter 1

Reel

32

Download: - Spent a lot of time in the 1980s playing patter tunes for Square dances. (Quite boring to play actually, so we wrote a few ideas giving space for copious amounts of improvisation).

107

1986

Colin's Shirt

Reel

32

Download: - At the Sidmouth festival in 1986 the caller, Colin Hume, announced one day that he had "run out of shirts", so I started a collection and we bought him a shirt which he dutifully put on at the next dance. I had, therefore, to write a tune to commemorate the occasion. The tune, and a new dance by Colin, can be found in his book Squares with a Difference Vol.1

Download: Written for my son Mark. At the time I played in the band - Wild Thyme.

098

097

1984

The Old 97

Reel

32

Download: Written just for fun and with that old song in mind - The Wreck of the Old 97. I guess the train would have been travelling along happily prior to the wreck happening! That's the bit my tune reflects.

Download: - The tune is named after the two dogs owned by our good friends Mike and Hazel Cole from whom I learned a great deal about traditional country dance.

089

1984

Slip, Slip, Slip Jig

Slip Jig

32

Download:I've always tried to be a bit experimental with my music and this is no exception. I have to confess elements of Dave Brubeck in this one. See tune 88 "Celtic War Chant" as another experimental example.

088

1984

Celtic War Chant

Jig

32

Download: This is an experimental piece with changing time signatures.

Download: - The tune is named after the George Orwell book, 1984, which was in the news a great deal at the beginning of 1984!

085

1983

Silverwood

Jig

32

Download: - A commissioned tune by Audrey and Bris Brisley to celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary. I believe that Fried de Metz Herman has also used the tune for a dance.

084

1983

North Sea

Jig

32

Download:........and that's exactly where the tune was written -on a ferry from Harwich to Goetenburg as wwe set off for a dance tour in Sweden. (It cured the sea sickness anyway.)

083

1985

The Bugle Boy

Hornpipe

32

Download:I thought the opening phrases of this hornpipe were a bit like a trumpet fanfare.

082

1983

The Quantock Air

March

32

Download:Written whilst staying at Halsway Manor. There's a little play on words as the tune is a march and not an air, but the air on the Quantock hills is certainly very refreshing.

081

1983

The Lowlights of Halsway

Jig

32

Download:Written whilst staying at Halsway Manor. I've only ever played one dance by candle light. Most interesting when a dancer waltzes by and the blows out the candle. Fortunately, the poe=wer was restored for the last 2 dances.

080

1985

The Arborist

Reel

32

Download: - Written for my son Ben who was a tree surgeon/arborist at the time.

Download: I used to live next to a small bridge in the village of Beckford in Gloucestershire.

072

1982

On the Back Burner

March

32

Download:This tune is being revisited and will appear in its new form later in 2018.

071

1982

Mervyn Jackson's Rag

Ragtime

32

Download: - This tune resulted from a beginner's class in tune writing. I took the rhythm of a well known ragtime tune and asked people to reconstruct the harmonies and the melody using the well-known rhythm. This was my effort. (With acknowledgements to Pat Shaw and Levi Jackson's Rag.)

070

1982

You've Gotta Dance

March

32

Download:A good strident and lively marching tune suitable for many different traditional party dances.

Download:- A tune that may be simple, but it is very effective when played gently ans well. The last 8 bars change from March rhythm to Jig Rhythm.

048

1981

The Oak Apple Processional

March

32

Download:.In 1981 I took part in the Oak Apple Ptrosession in Great Wishford, Wiltshire. There were several of us camping nearby and we created a processional dance, for which I wrote the tune, and we processed in this ancient ceremony. Don't believe the folklorist who "discovered" this new dance, and published it along with my music, in the year after it was first performed. (Debate!) There was a signed copy of the tune and the dance in Great Wishford Village Hall. I wonder where it is now?

Download: A straight forward traditional English style hornpipe. I have long since forgotten who, or what, gave rise to the name of Tayler's Hornpipe.

035

1980

Jean's Jig

Jig

32

Download: - Written for Jean Butler who wrote many fine English country dances.

034

1980

Katie's Tune

Jig

96

Download:- Written for Katie Butler and for the dance by Jean Butler in Dance-With-In-Tent".

033

1980

Flag Dance Jig, Waltz and Reel

Jig+

32

Download: - To accompany a Flag Dance created by England's Glory Ladies Morris Dance team. There is a set of connected tunes Waltz + Jig + Reel for the sequence.

032

1980

Angus' Hat

Reel

32

Download: - Written for a dance by Jean Butler to celebrate the purchase of Angus Purdie's new "Deer Stalker Hat" on a shopping trip to Gloucester.

031

1980

The Blowing Stone

March

32

Download: - For the dance of the same name by Jean Butler. The Blowing Stone is a perforated sarsen stone, located in a garden at the foot of Blowingstone Hill just south of the Icknield Way (B4507), at Kingston Lisle, near Uffington, in the English county of Oxfordshire. An interesting ancient relic.

Download: - A slightly Tyrolean sounding Waltz from the middle of Wiltshire, United Kingdom, where I used to live. There is a large White Horse carved out of the chalk escarpment on the Northern slopes of Salisbury Plain.

Download: Named after a gentleman - Mr. Tipple, who used to provide Bars at local dances. I thought "Tipple" was a good name for a bartender!

008

1979

Tyler's Reel

Reel

32

Download: I have no idea where the name Tyler came from. If you remember, please let me know.

007

1978

Ryeworth Lane

Jig

32

Download: Written to remember Ryeworth Lane near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

006

pre1982

Knockvologan

March

32

Download: While on holiday in Scotland we travelled East on the Isle of Mull from Iona. There is a small village on the coast called Knockvologan where this tune was written.

005

pre1982

Rannoch Moor Jig

Jig

32

Download: Written while on holiday in Scotland. We stayed for a while on Rannoch Moor. This tune was also the basis of a song.

004

pre1982

Henry's Hornpipe

Hornpipe

32

Download: Written for a dnace by Bob Barrett. The tune was named after his dog Henry. This was published in the Folk Camp book "Dance With-in Tent".

003

pre1982

Bach at the Beginning

Jig

32

Download: I wrote this tune and was pleased with the opening phrase only to discover that Johann Sebastian Bach got there before me. My tune is a simple Jig and his a Brandenburg Concerto (Say no more!).

002

pre1982

Sarah's Jig

Jig

32

Download: Written for Sarah Garlick and recorded by Wild Thyme on their Captain's Ceilidh record published by the EFDSS BR7.

001

pre1982

Wild Thyme

Reel

32

Download: I named it after my band WILD THYME. The tune was recorded by Wild Thyme on their Captain's Ceilidh record published by the EFDSS BR7.